Mobile home owner claims foul play in afternoon blaze

EXETER — The state fire marshal’s office has been called in to assist with the investigation into a fire that heavily damaged a mobile home Friday afternoon.

Comment

By Jason Schreiber

seacoastonline.com

By Jason Schreiber

Posted Aug. 15, 2014 at 6:11 PM
Updated Aug 15, 2014 at 6:14 PM

By Jason Schreiber

Posted Aug. 15, 2014 at 6:11 PM
Updated Aug 15, 2014 at 6:14 PM

» Social News

EXETER — The state fire marshal’s office has been called in to assist with the investigation into a fire that heavily damaged a mobile home Friday afternoon.

The blaze was reported just after 4 p.m. at a home at 9 Alder St.

Assistant Fire Chief Eric Wilking said firefighters found heavy smoke coming from inside the home when they first arrived at the scene.

The home sustained significant fire, smoke and water damage.

Wilking said the cause of the fire has not been determined. When asked if it was considered suspicious, Wilking said only that the fire was under investigation.

Yellow police tape was placed around the home.

Homeowner Shari Brown said she was home alone when the fire broke out in her daughter’s bedroom.

She said she was outside when the fire started. She said she returned to the house and discovered the flames inside in the bedroom.

“There was just too much smoke so I came back outside and called 911 because I couldn’t handle it. The smoke was too much for me to handle. It was too thick. It’s destroyed inside,” she said.

Brown was interviewed by police at the scene and claimed she was being accused of setting the fire. However, she denied any involvement and insisted that someone else retaliated against her by planting something in the bedroom to set off the blaze.

Police Sgt. Jake Dewire said police didn’t blame her for setting the fire.

“This is going to be investigated like anything else,” he said.

At one point, Brown tried to cross through the yellow police tape to enter the property and was ordered to stay off the property.

Brown said she’s lived at the home for 12 years and has “been through some hard times.”

“If I wanted money for burning down my house, I would have done it a long time ago,” she said.

Neighbor Ronnie O’Brien said he saw Brown outside and then five minutes later police showed up and smoke began coming from the house.

“By the time fire trucks got here, then it started to flame right up,” he said.

Wilking said firefighters knocked down the fire in about 10 minutes, but the scene remained active Friday night as the investigation continued and crews awaited the arrival of officials from the fire marshal’s office.

Firefighters from Durham, Newfields and North Hampton assisted Exeter crews at the scene.